Guns N' Roses
by Krypticonalite
Summary: After a brutal incident with her parents, Amu joins a club at school to try enjoying herself again. But that particular club isn't like your typical high school clubs. All members are trained fighters with a mission. She easily makes it under the club's mysterious leader; but her dark secret isn't going to leave her alone just like that. Amuto.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara or any of its characters.**

**I had a burst of inspiration and this was what came from it. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.**

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Guns N' Roses

Chapter 1

"The light won't switch on!" I pressed it up and down frantically, feeling dread as darkness closed in on me mercilessly.

"Mama! Papa!" I cowered backwards, feeling my back hit a solid wall. Why wasn't anybody here?

Suddenly, I saw Okaa-san slumped on the wooden floor. Her face was unnaturally pale and her eyelids were flickering slightly, the only indication that she was alive. A shudder passed through me and I approached her slowly, afraid to acknowledge what was in front of me.

"Papa!" I shouted, hoping that Otou-san would somehow hear me and save Okaa-san.

A silhouette of a familiar figure appeared behind Okaa-san, his teeth glinting slightly in the dark. There was a menacing, almost insane aura about the way Otou-san approached me. I cringed back, and my eyes widened instantly, finally noticing that he had a gun.

"Papa?" My voice sounded weak and pathetic, even to myself.

He grinned, one of sadistic happiness. He raised his gun to my head slowly, making the moment seem almost melodramatic. The cold barrel of the sleek silvery pistol pressed into forehead firmly, and I swallowed, my body frozen.

"Please, don't-"

I shot upright in bed, panting wildly, body rigid with utter fear. My mid-back bubblegum pink hair was more than a little tousled, and my chest heaved with relief that it was all just a nightmare. Actually, not a nightmare. I'd been reliving that moment since it happened about a month ago. I pushed my side bangs out of my face easily as my forehead was slick with sweat, to note that it was 3 am in the morning. I pressed a finger hesitantly towards the spot the gun had been. It was all so surreal...

To put it bluntly, my Otou-san had killed my Okaa-san a little over a month ago. I was there. I saw every bit of his sadistic sneer and Okaa-san's limp form. The police had barged in not a moment later. They later deemed him to be insane and mentally unstable, before putting him in a mental hospital to recuperate, and later, into prison. I was not allowed to see him. He was a trained fighter, and that was dangerous in his condition. In fact, he was the one who taught me how to fight. I took after him, and had been trained with his personal fighting techniques. I also kept people out of trouble at school. I had no idea what went wrong.

"Amu-chi!" My best- okay, my only friend in the entire Seiyo High School, attacked me with a hug tightly as I stepped through the gate. I pried her off gently, noting the stares from all the other kids in school. I shoved my thumb into the belt loop of my pants, giving her a pat on the head when she pouted.

"We're sophomores this year, Amu-chi! We've got to join a club! What are you interested in?" My ever energetic friend rambled on. I closed my eyes. Her hyper moods was distracting in the mornings. Especially when I had a bad night. I used the back of my hand to stifle a yawn.

"I'm not going to join anything, Yaya-chan." I told her firmly. I hated to burst her bubble, but I had no interest in anything. No, strike that. I didn't _know _what interested me. What a joke, right?

It would also definitely be a source of gossip at school, considering my reputation here. Cool n' spicy Hinamori Amu did not join clubs.

"But, Amu-chi!" Yaya whined. I sighed. She still acted childishly when she wanted to get her way. "We have to! It's a new rule regarding extra-curriculum activities!"

I narrowed my eyes slightly. As badass as I apparently was, I wasn't one to break the rules.

She leaned closer to me. "And, you know, maybe it can help you forget the incident." Her eyes sparkled with hope and concern.

I knew she was just looking out for me. "It's over a month ago, Yaya-chan. I'm fine."

"No, you're not!" She insisted. "You should start being yourself again, Amu-chi."

I could never last long against her puppy eyes and persuasive words. "Okay, maybe you're right. I'll join a club."

"And maybe wear a skirt again?"

I chuckled. Ever since that _incident_, I'd been wearing the guy's uniform to school. It consisted of a white collared shirt with a red tie, with black, slightly dressy, pants. I'd added my own touch to it by rolling the sleeves up, donning a black leather belt with two buckles, and a beanie with small silver studs, making me look slightly punk. Believe it or not, I was used to it. Those pants were _way _more comfortable than a short red plaid skirt. "No way."

She refrained from commenting any further. She usually spent most of her time with other friends, but was probably trying to be nice to me because everyone thought I had to be traumatised by what happened.

"Here is a list." She handed it to me. I scanned it quickly. _Art club, basketball, cooking, dancing, drama club, EPA club, Tri-M Music Honour Society- _wait. EPA club? I looked over it once more. That sounded interesting.

"How about the EPA club?" I suggested.

Her eyes sparkled in excitement. "Oh my gosh! You're right! I forgot about it!"

"What is it about anyway?" I frowned, unable to find a description on the list. The other clubs were pretty much self-explanatory.

"Well," She paused. "I'm not sure." A sheepish grin made its way across her face. i rolled my eyes.

"But I heard there's lots of rumours and gossip there!" She defended herself.

Well, great. A gossip club. At least it wasn't a sewing club or anything. Gossiping sounded superficial but I wouldn't need to do anything. "Count me in."

"Alright!" She shot me a grateful smile. "Let's try out together!" She tugged on my hand, leading me towards the staircase.

"Erm, what about classes?" I asked her.

She giggled. "The first and second period's been cancelled so we could try out for the clubs. Haven't you heard?"

That was what permanent isolation was doing to me. I sighed. "Let's just go."

We reached a small classroom. At least, it seemed like one. _EPA_, the sign read. Well, we were at the right place. Apparently, it was a pretty popular club. Hoards of people, especially girls, were crowding around that place, whispering excitedly.

An azure-haired guy seemingly stepped out of the shadows. Immediately, everyone quieted down.

"He's the club leader." Yaya whispered to me upon seeing my confused expression.

He was wearing the same thing as all the other guys in school - and me, but he somehow pulled it off differently in an elegant, yet slightly rugged manner. His features were chiselled to perfection and his eyes were orbs of a slighter darker shade of blue than his hair. The only thing off-putting about him was his mouth. It was twisted in a grim line. He looked like his face would crack if he ever flashed a smile.

"You," He suddenly said, pointing towards a spiky, brown-haired boy. "That ginger," He pointed towards a curly redheaded girl. "And you," He went on to Yaya, whose eyes gleamed with pride and exhilaration. I was confused. Why was he pointing out to people like that? "And finally," He paused, probably for dramatic effect as he scanned the students gathered there. There was a collective intake of breath as we anticipated his next words.

His eyes landed on me, and a slight smirk adorned his handsome face. "The strawberry pinkette over there."

I narrowed my eyes and stepped forward, my cooler exterior showing itself again. "Pinkette? You're one to talk, perverted, blueberry-haired _freak_."

I mentally slapped myself. The crowd stared, and a wave of "cool n' spicy!" rang in the air.

The azure-haired guy, however, ignored me. "Follow me, the ones I'd picked out. The rest of you," He eyed us coldly again, with no trace of either a smile or smirk. "You can just go."

My jaw slacked open. He was booting them out? Just like that? What kind of club is this? I mentally asked again.

Everybody went irritably, muttering to themselves. The corridor was clear in half a minute, leaving the five of us.

"So," His back was facing us. "Follow me."

We went into the classroom, which was bigger than it seemed from the outside.

"Are you guys confident in handling yourselves?" He asked us, as he scrutinized our faces carefully.

What a weird question. I noticed the brunette boy nodding, so I followed suit.

"Oh, Ikuto-kun!" The redhead flung herself into the club leader's arms. "I don't know what you mean?" She pouted her red, over-glossed lips as she squeaked, trying to sound sultry.

A vein throbbed in my forehead irritably.

So did one of his. He shoved her off him roughly. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"So you do remember!" She squealed, while the rest of us stared at her oddly."I'm Saaya-chan, your biggest fan!"

"Well, Saaya-_san,_ get out. You're out."

She gaped disbelievingly.

"What are you waiting for?" His voice held no trace of hesitation. He was cold, and calm. "Get out."

With that, she went sobbing as her heels clacked against the ground in the corridor.

"Now that we're done with _that._" He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, I'll be brief. My name is Tsukiyomi Ikuto, and I'm the leader of the EPA club. Usually, I choose four candidates every year for this club. Now, apparently, we have three. So why do you want to join this club? Do you even know what is it we do?"

Yaya moved closer to me. "He's creepy... I want to leave!"

"You're going to leave me here because you're scared?" I pressed my lips in a thin line.

"I'm sorry, Amu-chi!" She shouted as she fled out of the room.

Ikuto looked annoyed. "Okay, so we're down to two. Come to this room," He gestured to a modern-looking door. "separately in a minute. Brunette's up first. Pinkette, wait five minutes before you enter."

I glared heatedly at him. The brunette just nodded and entered a minute after Ikuto did.

When the time was up, I slinked into the room. No one was in here and it was really dark... "Hello?" I called out, annoyed. "Blueberry? What am I supposed to do now?"

"Sorry to disappoint, I'm not the... _blueberry,_ as you call him." A husky voice further into the room rasped out, snickering a little. "I'm going to test you for entrance."

"Test?"

"Your test is to defend yourself."

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**Okay, I really hope all of you enjoyed it. That was really fun to write. Please feel free to review, follow, or favourite if you happened to like it! It would really make my day.**

**- J**


	2. Chapter 2

**XX-SchitsoManiaAmutoLuver-XX: Phew, spelling your name is tough. Thanks a lot! It would've been obvious, but you'll just have to read to see.**

**Hope you guys enjoy!**

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Guns N' Roses

Chapter 2

"How the hell... did some club get a back entrance directly to some fancy cafe?" I asked myself, scowling. I was swinging my legs back and forth while waiting for my cup of hot chocolate. "And I really blame Yaya for this... If I'd actually felt like fighting, someone would probably have gotten hurt."

Geez, that stupid test. When the random guy took out his knife and lunged at me, I just stood still, because I knew I could dodge him easily. Apparently, all the Rank 1 club members, whatever that meant, were watching my performance from a hidden camera, and I passed for not moving and not making any eye contact.

There was no point since I hadn't felt that the real intent of that guy was to really attack me. Gossip club, my ass. I could've been scarred. My mind is pretty messed up and I feel annoyed and manipulated. I wouldn't go down without a fight next time.

And now, I was supposed to wait for what they call the 'Technician of EPA' for my placement test and information on the "club". I was really starting to doubt that now. Everything was really bothersome.

Then, someone coughed. I looked up, surprised.

"I am the Tech of EPA, also known as Sanjou Kairi. I'm a freshman here." A lanky boy with baby blue eyes and shaggy green hair parted in the middle pushed his oval glasses up the bridge of his nose. A freshman as the Tech of a club? Really?

"Amu Hinamori. I'm a so-"

"A sophomore in class 2A. You skipped a grade in middle school so you're technically fifteen. You're currently living alone and your only relative seems to be in penitentiary."

I blinked, my cool facade slipping off ever so slightly. That was... slightly creepy. The way he rattled off information about me like it was nothing. Penitentiary? That was a nice way to put it.

"Nice to meet you too."

He ignored my obvious dig at him. "I'm guessing you know nothing about this club."

"You guessed right."

He sighed. "Now this is troublesome. I'll have to explain everything to _you_. Do not interrupt me, please."

My upper lip curled at his obnoxiousness. "Wait, just one question before you start."

He sighed, clearly not hiding his annoyance at me. "What?"

"That brunette with me earlier on... Did he pass the test?" I had been wondering about that.

"Ah yes, him. He's a wimp, that one. When Kukai went after him with the knife, he screamed bloody hell and ran out the door like the sissy he is."

My eyes widened a little, mostly at his casual use of words.

"Anyway, you've met the entrance examiner." Not technically, considering he was jabbing a knife in my direction. "His name is Souma Kukai. He's a sophomore too. We're both in the same Rank 1."

He met my confused expression. "We have three ranks. Rank 1 consists of the top fighters of the club, and the leader himself, Tsukiyomi-san. He is a junior."

I quirked an eyebrow.

"By the way... you are a girl, right?"

I glowered at him. "So it seems, the last time I checked."

"Be serious, Hinamori-san."

"Then no, I'm the tooth fairy." I sniggered inwardly. I'd always wanted to use that old joke.

"Why the pants and all that? Trying to look tough?" He looked disgusted.

"That's really none of your business, is it?"

"Fair enough." He shrugged. "Back to the topic. This club is more like an organisation. Members are assigned missions to bring down wanted criminals based on their skill, although members from Rank 2 and 3 are rarely used. We are involved with the police and get criminal information from them. As for our funds," He said, noting the questioningly look in my eyes. "we are backed by Easter Corporation. EPA stands for Easter Puppets Association."

Ah. That did make more sense now. "How can stud-"

"They need manpower, and the young are more skilled than you think. It also catches them off guard, and that gives us an edge." He was never going to let me finish a sentence, was he?

"You can think of it as training. Of course, it's your own decision to join the club or not. We aren't going to force you." I noted the sarcasm and malice dripping from his voice. I guess that meant I was in, whether I liked it or not. They were telling me all this so I had to be guaranteed to keep quiet.

"We hide all information about our members and club activities from school. I'll tell you the rest while we walk to the training room." He got from his seat.

"Already? My hot chocolate isn't here yet!" I whined, serving to annoy him further.

"Are you an idiot? This place isn't a real cafe, it's just not to arouse or cast any suspicion on us."

Yeah, like one wouldn't suspect how somebody got enough cash to even run this place. "Then who-" A vein throbbed in my forehead. Someone was messing with me! A purple head who even went and pretended to take my order... "Who's the purple head in the club?"

"Huh? It's Fujisaki-san. His name is Nagihiko." He flinched as he saw my murderous face.

"As I was saying," He cleared his throat a tad nervously. "Let's go to the training room."

As we walked back towards the clubroom a little too _closely_ for my liking, he told me about the ranking placements. Rank 1 is obviously the highest rank with the least amount of members. Missions are highlighted by difficulty; Kairi sorts them from A missions all the way to E. He also handles the criminal information, the funds, and the training equipment.

I was rather surprised a freshman like him was doing such work, but he was really smart after all; he'd skipped a few grades too.

Basically, the club fights, trains, and socialize like any other normal club. Personally, it was kind of like a martial arts club to me.

When we reached the club room, he went down another door that led downstairs. How on earth did they get all this space for the club? I wondered internally.

"I'm going to give you a mock mission now. After I place you in the appropriate rank, I'll get someone to introduce you to its members."

"Can't you be a little less formal with me, Tech genius?" I watch his face turn a slightly darker shade of red.

"Our relationship stays professional, Hinamori-san."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It wasn't a pick-up line, for God's sake! "Whatever."

Kari left me in the dark room and gave me an eye set with an attached microphone and ear bud. For us to _communicate_ or something. I didn't like wearing it; it was itchy and slightly too tight around my head, but I refrained from complaining.

"Get ready for the _real_ entrance exam. I hope you can fight." Kairi's voice said to me through the headset. I shrug offhandedly as I was sure there would be hidden cameras. I wanted to come off as cocky and careless until they knew what I was capable of.

"You're in a computer-controlled map room. This is where I train members with computer generated walls, rays and criminals. Your job is to punch through the red mark on the specified holographic target. You hit the wrong target, you fail." He reminded me of when Ikuto was picking candidates from the crowd. Brutal, harsh, merciless. Well, I wasn't going to disappoint him.

"Roger that, Tech." I could feel his glare from over the headset and I allowed myself a smirk. "Thanks for the pressure."

"It's an E mission, Hinamori-san. Even easier. Depending on how you carry it out will determine your placement. And might I remind you again, it's Kairi-san to you."

"I got it. I like Tech, though." My smirk grew into a full-blown one.

He stammered nervously. "S-starting the mission in five, four, three, two..."

One.

I closed my eyes, inhaling. When I opened them again, five dummies were buzzing with static at the sides slightly while surrounding me. Holograms. My eyes darted to scan them quickly and I realized only three had red marks. This ought to be easy, I grinned now, as I lunged for my first target.

"Tech, mission complete."

"You cleared your mission." He told me over the headset.

I nodded absently, then realized he was waiting for me to speak. "Ah, yes."

"Not used to these things, are you?" He sounded amused.

"Yeah, I totally use fancy looking walkie-talkies all the time. So how did I do?" I asked, oddly anxious.

He chuckled. "Walkie-talkies... you're a riot, huh, Hinamori-san?"

"Oh, get to it already."

"I've accumulated unsurprising data. You're unquestionably impatient and a bit sloppy with your moment at times. But, you did execute what you'd been told with incredible accuracy and fast speed. That counts for a lot."

"So?" He knew what I wanted to know. Ugh, he was such an ass!

He sighed. "Hinamori Amu, fiesty freshie. You've been accepted to the EPA club, as a member of Rank 1."

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**I've been quite neglecting my work to work on stories, so I've got loads to catch up on. If you enjoyed this chapter, please review, follow or favourite! I really appreciate that as I'd know it's been worth it. I'd upload as soon as I am able to. All feedback is welcome!**

**- J**


	3. Chapter 3

**I just want to give a big thanks to the people who reviewed my story. I know its not even close to the amount of people who review popular stories, but its enough to encourage me. It really means a lot. **

**To ****XX-SchitsoManiaAmutoLuver-XX: Trust me, it's definitely not a personal problem. Hope you're satisfied with this chapter. **

**Please enjoy.**

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Guns N' Roses

Chapter 3

"Hotori-kun, here is our feisty freshie." He told a blonde boy about the same height as me, which wasn't a lot, really, as I frowned. It seemed I had a new nickname around here. "Hotori-kun here will introduce you to the members of Branch 1," Tech told me. "He specializes in long blades in knife combat."

"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu*****, I'm Tadase Hotori!" The blonde smiled politely at me. His hair was styled in a way that his long fringe parted over his left eye, both ends almost touching the nape of his neck. His pale red, almost pink, eyes contrasted against his pale cheeks. He held himself well, almost like a prince or something.

"Yoroshiku, I'm Amu." I replied, as he flashed a wide smile at me.

"Getting along, huh, Hotori-kun?" Tech shot a knowing glance at Tadase.

"Sanjou-kun!" The blonde flushed a pale pink, clearly embarrassed.

"Well, okay, back to business. Have fun showing her around, Hotori-kun. Congratulations again, Hinamori-san," He turned and strode off without a second glance.

"Congratulations on entering EPA, Hinamori-san! You're the first girl to enter Rank 1 as a fighter, besides Mashiro-san, who helps us with our weapons and concealing them." He told me.

"Oh, really?" I was a little surprised and flattered.

"Yeah, really. May I call you Amu-chan?" He flushed a little. He got nervous easily, I realized.

"Mhm," I agreed easily. I didn't really care what they decided to call me anyway.

"Great, Amu-chan," He gestured for me to follow him. "I'm a sophomore, same as you. You hold quite the reputation in our school."

I raised my eyebrow. Permanent isolation had really been preventing me from knowing anyone. I was a little surprised though. More than a few members were my age and I never really heard of them. "Yeah, I know," I told him coolly, determined to keep my exterior.

"Ah, yes, and as Sanjou-kun has said, I specialize in long blades in knife combat, but that's an overstatement. I still need much more work." He scratched his head, probably embarrassed by Tech's praise.

"Nah, you should be fine," I told him off-handedly.

"N-no, that's definitely not true," He chuckled nervously, his cheeks tinged with pink.

"Oh, and how many members are Rank 1?" I asked him curiously. If I was the only girl besides this Mashiro-san, than I wanted to know how many guys I had to be dealing with.

"Oh, with you now, I guess seven." He frowned thoughtfully. Oh, five guys, then. That shouldn't be a problem.

"That little?" I voiced my question. I had thought that they would at least have around ten Rank 1 members.

He laughed again. "Well, it is the highest level. I'll introduce you to Mashiro-san, Fujisaki-kun, and Kukai-kun, we're all childhood buddies." That's when I realized we were going back to that 'cafe'.

"I see. Wait, Fujisaki-kun?" I frowned. Wasn't he the joker who tried to make a fool out of me earlier on? If he was, he really had another thing coming.

"Ah, yes," He stared at my expression, and wisely decided not to say anything else.

We turned the corner, and saw a group of teens laughing wildly. "Yeah, and she said-" The purple head caught sight of me, and my eyes narrowed at his. He cowered behind the brunette, whose figure looked a little familiar. The brunette turned in our direction, glanced at me, and grinned, giving me a thumbs-up. "Well, if it isn't the feisty freshie! This is our new club member, everyone!" He yelled and dragged me across the path to be seated at their table.

By that time, the purple head was giving me a sheepish, apologetic smile. "Er, hi, Hinamori-san."

"Hi, indeed," I snarled, grabbing a fistful of his collar. "What were you thinking when you tried to mess with me, pulling that stunt? Do you find it funny? You do realize, for all you know, I might have been anything ranging from the tooth fairy to a serial killer in disguise or some-"

I was cut off by the sound of a choked giggle. The tiny girl with the long blonde curls, who I presume was Mashiro-san, was curled into a ball on her chair, shaking so hard from silent laughter. All of us, including Fujisaki-kun, stared at her, stunned. I loosened my grip on his shirt and he pulled away quickly.

"Y-you," she said as she stopped laughing and grabbed onto my shirt. "I like you."

Another shout of laughter cut through the silence. The brunette was on the floor, gripping his stomach, "S-so you were the one that Fujisaki told us about!" I narrowed my eyes at that statement. "You got Mashiro to laugh, that's quite an achievement," He winked at me.

Fujisaki-kun spoke up then. "Don't take it personally, Hinamori-san, I was just trying to get Rima-chan to smile," He gestured to the girl who was now biting her lip to contain her laughter.

"Okay, if everyone could stop having a cheap laugh at my expense, I'd like to be properly introduced, so I won't have to keep calling you purple head in my mind," I said airily, putting a hand on my hip.

Tadase nodded at Fujisaki-kun to begin. "I'm Fujisaki Nagihiko," He smiled tentatively at me. "I'm the, um, flexible one, you can say. I used to be a dancer. I have the knowledge of pressure points, those that ca petrify a specific area or stop the flow of blood. I'm a sophomore, too. We all are." He waved his arm in the direction of his friends.

"I'm Souma Kukai!" The brunette waved his arms at me. "I'm the fast one. Never try to go racing with me, feisty freshie. And I was your entrance examiner, remember?" I nodded absently at the overexcited boy, muttering under my breath. "How could I forget?"

"Mashiro Rima," I turned to the petite girl, who was clinging onto my arm, and obstinately didn't say anything further. I tried to pry her off as gently as possible.

"Um..." "Mashiro-san," Tadase cut in, and I shot him a grateful smile. "let go of Amu-chan."

"Amu-chan?" Rima was onto him in a second. "You two hooked up already?"

I rolled my eyes and he flushed a brilliant shade of red.

"N-no, it's nothing like that."

"Yeah, because that seems so believable," she retorted with a blank face on, looking almost emotionless.

"Ah, I-" Tadase seemed flustered.

Nagihiko decided to chip in politely, his hand resting on her arm. "Ah, ah, Rima-chan, lay off the guy."

Rima shrugged off his hand furiously. "Stop calling me Rima-chan!" She cried.

Kukai grinned and turned to me. "We don't have any formalities between members of Rank 1, really. You can call us with or without a honorific. It doesn't really matter."

"Well, in that case," I tapped my index finger on my lip. "Call me Amu."

"Try calling us by name, Amu-chan." Nagihiko urged.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, and kept up the cool n' spicy act. "Tadase, Kukai, Nagihiko, Rima," I trailed in a monotone. "What am I to you, some shy-ass chick? I don't believe I'm like that at all."

Kukai chuckled. "I like her already! Now I can see why you're blushing, Tadase."

Tadase's eye widened, and he flushed even more. "W-what's that supposed to mean?"

"That's for us to know, and you to find out," Rima stated bluntly.

I grinned, a real, genuine smile. I was really starting to like these guys. Kukai noticed, and took it the wrong way. "H-hey, Hinamori, I'm not married to this dude here, alright? Nor will I ever be!" He announced loudly.

Rima and I rolled our eyes in sync and shared a grin. I think, for once in my life, I might actually fit in somewhere.

My entire life, I was always, _always_ the misfit, the loner. The lone wolf on the sidelines. The one who had no one to whisper with at lunch, the one who always had to do a partnered project _alone._

I thought it was cute how they were fighting. It showed how close they were, so much like siblings. Something I had always yearned for. I didn't know how I was going to get close with the members with my attitude, but some of them were already accepting me. I smiled. Hopefully, with them, I would be able to forgive and forget my past.

Overall, the existence of this club and the members' skills are already unbelievable. This was definitely too much surprise in one day.

After hanging out with them for a while, Tadase directed me towards a staircase at the back of the cafe. Apparently the leader of EPA, also a Rank 1 member, was waiting for me.

When I got up the stairs, I found him lying on a bed with a thin mattress, his arms tucked underneath his mussed bed of blue hair. He was gazing at the ceiling, a grim look on his face. I sighed mentally. Even in this club, he still doesn't smile, huh?

Tsukiyomi Ikuto... A junior, and the sole firearm user of the club.

He didn't look very approachable, so I thought I'd better keep it formal with the guy.

"Tsukiyomi?" I winced. That didn't come out very well.

"You're the feisty freshie, huh?" He didn't even look in my direction as he addressed me coolly.

"..You can say that." I resisted the urge to snap. What was it with that nickname?

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting you to make it at all. You seemed rather weak in comparison to the other kid." He told me straightforwardly. The vein in my forehead throbbed.

"In comparison to that wimp?" I snorted. "You've got to be kidding me."

He sat up slowly, and turned to scrutinize me. It took all my willpower not to flinch under his gaze.

"Actually," He begun, deciding to ignore my snide comment. "all I wanted to do was to see your current facial expression. It's a bit different from earlier." If I was a flower, I would have withered under his unwavering stare right then and there.

"W-what do you mean?" I cursed my voice under my breath. It broke in just that one sentence.

"Your job here is done. You can leave now." Once again, he turned his back to me.

"Erm-"

"Go." His voice was so cold, it put ice shards to shame.

I stood my ground. "Hell no."

He turned so fast I flinched. His furious gaze bore into mine. I noticed his teeth was clenched tight. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Oh hell to it, I decided. I'd already made him mad, I might as well get on with it.

"What's up with that attitude? You could introduce yourself, or at the very least, give me a proper greeting? Have you even heard of manners?"

"That isn't necessary. You already know who I am, I presume." At least he sounded less angry with me.

"That isn't the point, and you know it." My gaze held, and I tilted my chin slightly, challenging him.

"I know who you are, too." He wasn't backing down. His lips twitched, giving a slight indication that he'd acknowledged my little staring contest.

Then he brought his eyes down to the floor, frowning as if he shouldn't have done that. I sighed. No getting through to him, then.

"I'll leave you alone," I stated and exited the room quickly, the tension suffocating me. He didn't look up, but it wasn't as if I was expecting him to.

He leaves such a negative feeling around him, which I don't get, because I could feel his loneliness emanating off him , too. I should know best what loneliness feels like. Did something happen to him? Our short conversations were not only annoying, but also confusing. It felt like there was a double meaning behind his use of words.

It bothers me, but also interests me in an odd way.

I _will_ figure out Tsukiyomi Ikuto.

* * *

***Yoroshiku - Pleased to meet you/I look to you for guidance. (It has multiple meanings). **

** Onegaishimasu - (used for politeness). **

**Thanks for reading. Once again, feel free to leave a feedback on this story. Hope you enjoyed.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is definitely my favorite story to write so far. Hope you all enjoy this.**

* * *

Guns N' Roses

Chapter 4

School had ended a pretty long time ago while I was hanging with the club, but I'm not complaining. It's one of the best things that had ever happened to me in a long time.

Right now, I'm on my way to the police station, for my monthly check up on Otou-san. The prison had grey and dreary walls, like one would have imagined. There were steel bars on every window around, and there was a suffocating tension once you stepped inside. All the guards were on alert, as if someone were to escape right that very moment.

I was so familiar with the place and people already. It used to give me the creeps, but now I hardly noticed it. Seiichiro Suzuki was the guard in charge of my Dad's cell. The usual outfit for him was a smart black cap, a light blue uniform shirt, and black pants. He smiled sympathetically at me as I nodded at him.

"Good to see you again, Hinamori-san. Thanks for doing this every month, although I know it must be painful. Be careful." He bowed slightly.

I nodded at him, unwillingly to speak. "Don't be afraid to call me if you need help," He said, and gestured for me to go on.

I stared at my Otou-san, in the prison's loose orange vest and pants, behind the metal bars. His back was facing me, but I knew he could feel my presence. "Papa."

"Ah, Amu-chan." He spoke softly, although he still didn't turn to face me. "So you've joined that pathetic playgroup of a club?"

My eyebrows furrowed in shock. "H-how did you know?" I demanded.

His insane, and sick laughter filled my ears. "I will definitely get out of this hell hole, Amu-chan."

"Papa!" I cried, appalled and more than a little scared.

He started chuckling uncontrollably, his laughter edged with menace. "Oh, Amu-chan, using the gun... It's so thrilling. The adrenaline pumping through your veins... Oh, it's exquisite! The sound of the bullet as it slices through the air. I can still feel the impact as if a bullet just left my hand...and pierced your mother in the heart!"

I backed away slowly. "Papa, stop it!"

"Oh, I'll definitely get out, Amu-chan. I'll get out of this wretched place, kill anyone, anywhere... It's so electrifying!" He continued his mechanical laughter.

I have asked myself this many times, and I will still never know the answer. _Papa, what has gotten into you?_

_'This is the mission overview. Apprehend the thief while he is coming out of the SOB bank. The purpose is to show Amu an example of what our missions are like. Ikuto, Kukai, Nagihiko, Tadase; you will all demonstrate. Amu, your job is to spy on this mission with Rima in the shadows without being seen. You will report the location of the thief through your headset over to me, and I will respectively give the information to the members. Do not, under any circumstances, hinder the movement of any members. You will also write a descriptive report on this mission, so do not think you can relax at any time.' _

I rolled my eyes at the last part. "How do you guys know there will even be a thief, Tech?" I asked Kairi through my headset. We were all spread out around the entrances of the bank, and I was crouching behind a bush beside Rima.

_'There's no time for such explanations now. It is now 11:07pm. The clock has started. Get in your positions immediately.'_

"..You don't usually explain things in such detail, do you?" I asked again, feeling that a lot of unnecessary things were being said for my sake.

_'Of course not. Also, just for you to know, the headset you're all wearing allows me to see whatever you're seeing on screen. I will also allow you to see infra-red rays, if any are present, and you are expected to dodge them on any missions.'_ That last part was obvious. I frowned a little. Were they all taking me for an idiot? _'I also do locate members and tell you of their location, if necessary. The rest; you can all probably do better without my aid. Your instincts will guide you. This is only your first mission, you will understand.'_

"Yes, I get it." I grimaced into the headset, while Rima giggled. She appeared to find many of my reactions amusing, but at least she wasn't angry. She sure packed a punch when she got into it, a live example being Nagihiko.

_'Oh yes, all members also have a tool to break into buildings. It is usually in the form of a skeleton key, like Rima has. Just follow her lead. It's best to use windows, though, but partners can open the door from the inside for each other. If the door needs a security pin to be unlocked, like this one, press the button on the left of your headset. It automatically scans the device and sends the information to me. After I crack it, the job is all yours.' _

"So once we get in, it all starts?"

_'Yes, I will only communicate with you if it is necessary from this point onwards. Follow the members' lead and do not stray away from Rima.'_

"I'm tired of whispering," I told Rima. A smile appeared on her face and she said, "So, do you want to use the window or the door? It's your choice tonight."

I really didn't feel like climbing more than three metres to get in through a window. The decision was easy. "The door, please."

Rima suppressed a laugh. "It's also less safe."

"Who cares?" I shrugged it off.

When Rima and I got inside, we moved quickly and quietly behind a bookcase, which was a good hiding place to watch all the action from. I really didn't like using my Otou-san's techniques, but they were necessary if I were to stay in this club.

I strained my eyes and managed to see Nagihiko and Kukai crouching behind a panel, their body tensed with anticipation. Kukai caught sight of me and gave me a wink, then combed his hair flat as an indication to tell me to hid my hair. My eyes widened as I realized he was right. My bright pink hair was a dead giveaway. I quickly borrowed Rima's elastic and pulled my mid back length hair into a messy ponytail.

Tadase and Ikuto, on the other hand, had their backs flattened against the wall. Tadase flicked up his short blades; his long ones weren't allowed on this mission, and the scraping sounds of metal against metal were menacing to my ears. The sound echoed slightly around the silent room. Ikuto had his hand next to his pocket, where his gun was, ready to whip it out any minute. His stealthy movements reminded me of a cat.

For some reason, my eyes refused to leave him.

Just then, I heard a shuffling noise and everyone went rigid. I reluctantly pulled my eyes away and instead focused onto the target. He was on his own, trembling slightly with fear, as if he could sense the tension in the atmosphere. He was awkward and clumsy with his movements, and it was obvious he wasn't a trained thief. As he brought his knife to his chest, he almost dropped it; his hands were shaking that much. He must have heard Tadase's knives.

I couldn't help but think; he had to be forced to do this. No one was stupid enough to do such a reckless thing on their own, he must have been blackmailed. His head turned wildly around the room, trying to spot anyone.

_'Begin,'_ Kairi's voice startled me.

Within seconds, the whole team was in action. Kukai reached him first and punched him in the guts. Nagihiko grabbed his arm and twisted it across his back, making him unable to move. Tadase then quickly threw one of his knives with such accuracy that it pinned the man's shirt to the wall without actually hurting him. Although it definitely scared him to death as he let out a pitiful yelp of fright.

Ikuto stood in front of him, his face impassive as he held a gun to the man's chest. The middle-aged man was quaking; standing face to face with the emotionless seventeen-year old ready to blow his brains out any minute. I knew that situation, I'd been there once.

Ignoring Rima's cry of alarm, I leapt out behind the bookshelf, startling the group. "Please, stop it! He isn't bad, let him go!" I ran forward and wedged myself in between the barrel of Ikuto's gun and the stunned man. I screwed my eyes shut, a feeling of deja vu washing over me. It felt like someone just poured a bucket of cold water over me. "Please."

"He's wanted as a thief, Amu-chan, it'll earn us a little money." Tadase told me when no one spoke up.

I opened my eyes. Ikuto was unhesitant, his gun still aimed directly in my direction. The rest of the team were speechless. "No!" My voice was strong, and Tadase flinched. "He's afraid of us, can't you see? He was probably forced into doing this. He doesn't want to do this," I insisted, sending a pleading glance towards Nagihiko, whom I now knew as the most benevolent of the group.

"How can you know something like that?" Kukai sent me a dubious glance, as if he was having second thoughts about me. I bet all of them were. This was probably ruining my chances of having any friends here, but I stayed strong to my decision.

"I can feel it," I whispered, but it was sounded loud in this quiet room.

_'Amu,' _Kairi spoke up, and I cringed. I had went back on my word to not interfere. "I-"

"Shut up, freshie. I'll speak to him." The voice belonged to Ikuto. My eyes widened, and I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders as the other members just shrugged and seemed to agree.

The mission ended late into the night. I mean, well, technically I ruined the entire mission and it wasn't completed, but I felt pity for the poor man. Apparently, he merely wanted to raise a little money for his daughters, who had been living with him on the streets for quite a while now. He had lost his job, and family members, but he had wanted his daughters to have a good life. I believed him. The police also let him go after questioning with a warning, since he didn't get away with the theft in the end.

The next evening after school, I hung out alone at the cafe behind the clubroom.

"Hey." A voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see Ikuto staring down at me. I had never realized that he was actually really tall; at least a foot taller than me.

"Ah, Tsukiyomi, thanks for helping me out last night, and I'm sorry about the mission..." I trailed off, not certain if it was a good idea to bring it up.

"You're too kind." He stated matter-of-factly.

That wasn't what I was expecting to hear at all. "What?"

"If he was lying, we would have to take the blame for letting him get away." He finished.

"His eyes," I told him simply. "I can feel he wasn't lying."

"How the hell can you do something like that?" He narrowed his eyes disbelievingly.

"I observe people a lot," I admitted. "It's kind of normal."

"That's not very normal," He replied.

"O-oh," was my genius response. His steel blue eyes were making it very hard for me to concentrate.

"Well, anyway, I'll have to take your judgement on this for now. You're lucky we didn't lose any money from this situation you created. We don't get paid for pitying people, I hope you realize." He turned on his heel, ready to leave.

"Why do you care about the money more than people?" It slipped out from my mouth, and I mentally cursed myself. I was just digging my own grave in this club. I could never do anything right, could I... What a rhetorical question.

"To keep this club and its members alive." He responded simply.

"What else do you want it for?" I pressed. If I was going to annoy him, I might as well do a darn good job of it.

"Members get paid monthly." He turned to face me now. His face was still blank. "Any more questions?"

"Wait, what is this? Some sort of _job?_ Are you all just in this for the _cash?_ You could just get any normal job! This makes me sick," I spat.

He didn't even blink an eye as I spewed insults in his face. "I couldn't care less about the money, and I have my own personal reasons for this club."

I opened my mouth, about to press further, but decided that I had gone too far. "...Never mind. I'm sorry."

"You apologize a lot, don't you?" He sounded a little amused now. But when he noticed I was staring at him, he pressed his lips into a thin line once again, noticing his slip.

"Why do you isolate yourself?" I almost slapped my big mouth again.

"Am I?"

"Aren't you?" The corner of my lips sagged. "I don't know, I can feel that, it's somehow or another, on purpose."

"You and your feelings," He almost cracked a smile again. Almost.

"I'm pretty sure they're accurate," I argued. "I know you barely know me, and I probably irritate the hell out of you, even if you don't show it-" His lips twitched. "-but you can trust me if anything's bothering you." I didn't know what possessed me to say that. Somehow, when I'm around him, my cold mask slips off ever so slightly for him to be able to see the real me.

"..I know."

I frowned at his lack of response. "I was being open for once! I wish you'd be more open too."

"Heh." A smirk etched itself onto his face clearly. "Try me."

My eyes widened, and I could feel myself flushing slightly. He really was pretty cute when he smiled.

He chuckled at my goldfish-like expression and flicked my forehead. "Baka*****."

"Ow!" I clutched my head, glaring at him. "Hey! That hurt!"

He stifled his laughter with his right hand and waved me off. "Whatever. I'm going inside."

I couldn't help the wide grin that spread over my face. "Ikuto!" I called him by his first name for the first name. He stopped, but didn't turn to face me. "I will try you, and I won't fail."

"Try your best then, feisty freshie." He called in a monotone as he strode away.

I closed my eyes. Geez, he really wasn't so bad after all.

"Amu-chan?" I was still swinging my legs on the edge of the cafe seat half an hour later.

"Oh, hey, Tadase. What's up?" I smiled at the cheery boy.

"Kairi-kun just finished reading your report," He told me.

"Ah, I bet it was horrible. Sorry about that. I rushed through it and besides, more than half of it were filled with sketches." I gave him a sheepish grin. I had pulled an all-nighter just for that report.

"Wow, really?" He looked surprised. "We both read your report and it was really good! You're really awesome artist as well," He grinned. "Kairi-kun wasn't too pleased at the sketches on a formal report, but they were really amazing." He complimented.

"Really?" I felt flattered. "I guess I just... think too much." Tadase looked lost. 'Huh?"

"Uh- nothing! I mean, missions are pretty thrilling aren't they?" I quickly changed the subject.

He smiled. "You'll get used to it. Soon, it'd even feel as if you're doing maths; boring and nothing special." He shrugged. "But Kairi-kun was a little upset at how you felt sorry for that criminal. You shouldn't do that again, alright?" He lowered his voice at the last part of his sentence.

"I'm sorry... The man just looked so scared and weak compared to you guys, I couldn't help myself..." I lowered my gaze to the floor, ashamed that I'd caused my new friends trouble. "I still can't promise anything too," I added.

When I looked up again, Tadase was blushing. I raised an eyebrow.

"N-no, actually, I find it admirable that you have compassion for even criminals," He admitted shyly.

"Well, it's normal, I guess. I feel that everyone and everything has a life, you know?" I told him. _It's not very normal. You and your feelings,_ I heard Ikuto's voice in my head. I flushed slightly.

Then I noticed Tadase was trying to avoid looking me in the eye and was really red in the face. "Tadase." I tried to get his attention. He seemed to be in a daze. "Tadase!"

"Huh? What?" He glanced up, startled.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, concerned. He was starting to be one of my best friends who'd always looked out for me. I guess it's time I do the same.

"N-no, it's nothing really." He flinched under my scrutinizing gaze. "P-please stop staring at me like that."

"Oh, sorry," I laughed nervously. "I was trying to see what was wrong?" My statement sounded more like a question. He didn't reply. A frown crossed my lips. "Okay then, nothing serious. I'm going to apologize to the whole team now." I walked towards the exit door.

He grabbed my arm and I jerked to a standstill, surprised. "I don't think they mind it as much as you think they do."

He sounded a little off. I coughed slightly, "It's alright, I still want to get it off my chest."

I started to walk off again, but he gripped my arm tighter. "Amu-chan."

I turned to face him.

"Date me."

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***Baka - Idiot/stupid. (Along the lines of fool).**

**Dark-Key0: I have heard of maplestory, but this is the first time I've heard of Maple Story Series; sorry if I don't keep up with the times. The ideas of this story plot is thought up by my cousin and I. **

**Hope you liked it. I will try my best to finish this story quickly so I can update my other stories as well. Feel free to leave a review to feedback on this story. Thanks for reading.**

**Update: I have been on holiday the past few days, and I had brought my thumb drive along with me; being the paranoid person that I am. The first night at the hotel, I realized it was gone from my luggage. **** I really don't know what to say; except I'm really sorry, guys. The thumb drive contained more than 50 000 words of Guns N' Roses, Downright Delinquents, Their Paid Girl, and The Way He's Not, all of which I planned to upload today. As you can guess, I am very, very disheartened about it and re-writing the chapters seem like a chore now. I definitely will update and finish every story, but it will be a long process. I sincerely hope you can all bear with me.**

******- J**


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